I used to think that they were just puppets for big oil and old money, but what if these guys are clinically incapable of rational decisions? I'm starting to think they are truly, clinically delusional. If Bush tries to continue the expansion of WWIII, is there any way to stop him? How much damage could be done before Congress could intervene? How quickly can we stop a President who has gone mad?

I guess that if nothing else, they could cut off funding for the WH power bill...

I used to think that they were just puppets for big oil and old money, but what if these guys are clinically incapable of rational decisions? I'm starting to think they are truly, clinically delusional. If Bush tries to continue the expansion of WWIII, is there any way to stop him? How much damage could be done before Congress could intervene? How quickly can we stop a President who has gone mad?

Mad delusional of whatever they are, it was apparent that the Republican congress did not want to intervene. Even when the whole Iraq WMD fiasco was unraveled, congress continued to sit on their hands.

I think that there is an element of the old adage "Absolute power corrupts absolutely", in all of this. By hiding behind a veil of secrecy, the more they got away with, the more irrational schemes they tried.

It is almost as if while brainwashing the American people about Iraq, they brainwashed themselves. And now after not having success in Iraq they are looking at Iran.

We are in for a wider war because of Bush/Cheney. Here is what I sent to my congressional delegation today. They will do nothing, and many more people will be killed:

Israeli PM Olmert and Bush have both recently made speeches condemning Iran's nuclear program. While they both used the word "diplomacy", their idea of diplomacy is to issue ultimatums, and when the target country does not comply with their orders, they claim that "diplomatic efforts" have failed, "regrettably" leaving them with only military options. Bush used such transparent tactics to sell his war against the Iraqi people, and he is now aiming at Iran. Our country is being lied to again and we will soon be in a wider war against the Middle East if you do not act.

The Stennis carrier group will soon be on its way to the Persian Gulf, giving Bush two full carrier groups with at least a two-month overlap in deployment in which to attack Iran. There is no other reason to have two carrier groups in the Gulf. Al Qaeda has no air force or navy, nor do the Sunni insurgents. If the aim were to knock out Iran's nuclear facilities, those limited missions could be launched from any number of land bases. Bush is planning an extensive air war against Iran, with massive bombing campaigns - a war that is ready-made for close-positioned carriers that can launch many, many sorties per day.

I do not know how the war will start, but as soon as the Stennis group is deployed, you should expect that either Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities and leave the US to deal with the aftermath or that confederates in the area will "attack" our forces in a Gulf of Tonkin-type incident, which will be blamed on Iran. If that happens, hawks all over the US will demand action, giving Bush cover to start murdering Iranians and destroying their infrastructure. The first targets will be command and control facilities, missile batteries, coastal defense installations, military ships, and Iran's aging complement of American-built fighter jets. Iran's oil facilities will also be targeted, and since no insurer is going to allow supertankers into the gulf during an all-out air war, the price of crude will skyrocket.

As our elected representatives, you have an obligation to provide long-absent oversight on the actions of the administration. Please do so immediately, and put the president on notice that you will not permit him to start another war. Bush and Cheney are corrupt, morally bankrupt people who are responsible for the deaths of many tens of thousands of people, perhaps hundreds of thousands if the Lancet report is close. They deserve to be impeached for their lies, their attacks on our Constitution, and their illegal spying on Americans. I have little hope that you will gather the resolve to do the right thing and remove them from office, but at least stop them from starting another war. Please! Iranians are people, too, and their lives are just as valuable and meaningful as our own.

I hope you take this situation seriously. It would be nice if the Maine Delegation would stand together on this issue and confront the administration about their plan for a war against the Iranian people. I think I know what Margaret Chase Smith would do.

Staff: Mentor

We're in a world war? Could you define the term for me and explain how it applies to the current situation? Or do you just mean it will become WWIII? If so, who will the combatants be?

And how 'bout being specific? Do you think they are delusional? If so, could you cite some specific delusions? Or is the purpose of this thread just to make insinuations without acutally stating and backing up a claim?

Perhaps for the second time in as many years, I find myself agreeing with cyrus - this thread is just pointless rhetoric-slinging.

Staff: Mentor

We're in a world war? Could you define the term for me and explain how it applies to the current situation? Or do you just mean it will become WWIII? If so, who will the combatants be?

Well - technically, the 'War on Terror' is a world war, since the terrorists are distributed throughout the world. Of course, it doesn't involve combat in a lot of nations like WWI or WWII, nor is the military activity on the scale of those wars. It's more like the Cold War (spy vs spy), although its more like SF/mercenaries vs terrorists.

The US has invaded Iraq (with the UK, Australia, and troops from several European countries), has troops (special forces) in Afghanistan, has secretly placed (renditioned) people in prisons in several countries, has attacked suspected al Qaida operatives in Somalia, . . . . What am I leaving out?

Now interestingly, al Qaida was not really active in Iraq, until the US invasion. Al-Zarqawi came in from Jordan, ostensibly through Syria. Al Qaida is apparently reviving in the tribal areas of Pakistan, along with the Taliban, although the Pakistani government denies this. However, the US intelligence agencies know of Pakistani ISI involvement with Taliban and al-Qaida. Now allegedly, al-Qaida gets funding from sources in Saudi Arabia, UAE and some other Gulf countries.

Now Bush is threatening Iran. An invasion and occupation of Iran would immediately concern Russia and China - but without immediate action, although eventually, if the US attempts to control the oil supply of Iraq and Iran, then other nations might feel threatened.

Then again, it doesn't give one a sense of confidence or assurance with policitical leaders of one's country trading accusations and insults.

And how 'bout being specific? Do you think they are delusional? If so, could you cite some specific delusions? Or is the purpose of this thread just to make insinuations without acutally stating and backing up a claim?

I third this.

While I do believe it plausible that Bush may be suffering from early stages of some cognitive (or related) disorder, I don't see any reasons provided in this thread to support the claim of clinical delusions in Bush and Cheney. If this is just layman usage of the word 'delusional' then, that's a different matter (and one I agree with), but if you're going to make a psychiatric speculation, why does it stop at Bush and Cheney? Doesn't the argument in the OP make the case that everyone (Condi, Snow, Gonzales, a dozen senators, several dozens of cogresspeople and millions of Americans) still supporting the President's stance is medically delusional?

Staff: Mentor

Delusional in the clinical sense might be a bit strong, but let's look at recent history.

After 3.5 years of steadily claiming that the US was winning and making progress in Iraq

President Bush acknowledged for the first time yesterday that the United States is not winning the war in Iraq and said he plans to expand the overall size of the "stressed" U.S. armed forces to meet the challenges of a long-term global struggle against terrorists.

As he searches for a new strategy for Iraq, Bush has now adopted the formula advanced by his top military adviser to describe the situation. "We're not winning, we're not losing," Bush said in an interview with The Washington Post. The assessment was a striking reversal for a president who, days before the November elections, declared, "Absolutely, we're winning."

One could argue that 'long-term global struggle' implies a world war (undeclared of course).

Then comparing or contrasting the statement, "Absolutely, we're winning" in November with the statement, "We're not winning, we're not losing" in December, one could begin to wonder if Bush has a grip on reality, or he simply does not understand the conventional definitions of the English language.

I think I like this place. Been hanging with rednecks too long cuz my love of extreme rocketry and physics happens to coincide with those who just like fire and smoke a lot. Lucky for me my step daughter (enrolled at the colo school of mines, enviro engr) showed up today asking for the help I offered a few weeks back--oh yea physics was cake. Well about 4 problems deep into her homework, I was in trouble so a google search led me here. I don't feel totally stupid, after all its been 15 or 20 years since I did physics homework, and the problem, as simple as it might be, still sits unsolved, awaiting for fresh admins in the AM.

Two notions: first Bush is delusional, whether its rhetoric to get close to the religous extremists and thus a mere ploy, or more frightening as he has been quoted on many occasions as having some knowedge of God's will.

I'm a psychiatrist (biologically oriented BTW) and as sensitive as I can be in terms of respect for cultural and religious preferences, the guy may as well be speaking in tongues.

(Which he does of course, unfortunately none in good english.)

My theory is that when booze and drugs were on the verge of ruining his future, he was guided into some holy-roller cure, and took it to heart. He then misinterpreted every failure in his biz career--hey has this guy ever had a job for more than two years--as a "sign" that he was destined for something greater. Folks nearby realized that with his ties, he would be a useful puppet, and encouraged in the if you can't do then teach vein, if you cant do then preach to the american public. Factor in some oneupmanship with his dad, and he gets this zealous Crusade II mission. The veep is another story.

But as to wwiii, i believe these cretins are capable of a serious start. I mean they have renewed research into low yield bunker busters, and more. We have the Israeli's pounding Lebanon without much of an outcry, in a proxy fight, and have seriously polarized the world on the issue of Iran, and while we overlook the Israeli arsenal, despair over the brownman having it--couse that deal to the Pakis was an exception....

Its a mess. But it may be George's last gasp, after all during his first year when things were crapping out, along comes 9/11. War on terror the issue. Well we are gettting burn't out, so we need a new installment. Puke.
JS

Staff: Mentor

when booze and drugs were on the verge of ruining his future

Laura, his wife, put her foot down and demanded he get control. She is a member of the Methodist Church, which in Texas is more conservative, and I suspect involvement in that institution has a lot to do with Bush.

Business-wise and politically, Bush (and the family) is well-connected in a broad Texas network.